SC quashes appointment of VCs in Bihar Universities

The Supreme Court today quashed the appointments of nine Vice-Chancellors and two pro-Vice Chancellors made early this year by former Governor Devanand Konwar in various universities of Bihar.

A Bench comprising justices G S Singhvi and V Gopala Gowda said the appointments made by the Governor were illegal as the aid and advice of the council of ministers was not taken into consideration.

It said that as per the University Grant Commission Rule, the Governor was bound to act in consultation with the state government.

The apex court asked the government to constitute a fresh selection committee within a month to complete the appointments of VCs and pro-VCs within three months.

Earlier, during the pendency of the matter, the apex court had on March 18 stayed the notifications issued in this regard on February 9 and March 14. It had said the senior most Dean of each university will perform the function of VCs.

Bihar government and some of the professors had challenged the appointment made by Konwar.

The Patna High Court had on December 7, 2012 quashed the appointment of six of the eight VCs by the Governor on the ground that the state government was not consulted.

The High Court had also directed the Chancellor to make a The High Court had also directed the Chancellor to make a fresh list of candidates for appointment of the VCs and Pro-VCs.

However, the same persons were later re-appointed. Shambhu Nath Singh and Arun Kumar were appointed as the Vice-Chancellor of Patna University and Magadh University respectively.

After the announcement that Konwar was being replaced as Bihar Governor, he appointed Anjani Kumar Sinha as VC of Tilka Manjhi Bhagalpur University and Raja Ram and Padmasha Jha as pro-VC of Patna University and Bihar University, Muzaffarpur respectively on March 14.